Bloomin' Broom Bushes, Batman!

Sorry, I couldn't resist playing with the title. And yes, my broom bush is blooming! It's a frequently overly-looked plant with lots of symbolism and history; so I decided to dedicate this post to the biggest shrub in my tiny little yard!

(You should be able to zoom in on this picture if you like.)

Originally from western Europe, but has some success in growing in parts of northeast and western United States. Of course, what comes first to mind to us when we hear the word "broom" is the favored plant of old English witches, who gathered it for its purported powers of flight and aid in wind raising spells. In Scotland, the early blooming Broom is a herald of bountiful crops, and coming fortune. Old Celts revered it's medicinal properties as a diuretic; and in some legends, that the Fae spoke through the bush itself. Druids even believed that the smoke could calm the wind, or the user; which ingesting a tea made from Scotch Broom was said to induce psychic visions. (Don't attempt yourself! Plant can be toxic!) And many western European traditions use the shrub for purifying and cleansing.

Last year I used some blooming broom to make a Magic Vial Pendant of Flight, with picture jasper and sunstone. So, if any of you are interested in either a broom based vial, or even if you'd just be interested in buying some blooming branches to make your own besom, this month is the time to contact me!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I wasn't too sure what kind, if any, products might turn up on the Etsy search. There was basically nothing that came up under "Scotch Broom," but under just "broom," I found a real gem!

There's actually an etsy seller simply called BroomChick! And while she uses the more American "broomcorn" for her bristles, her work is exsquisit and they make a point to do every aspect of their craft themselves! They even have the ability to boast of only using tools from an 1878 KY broom shop, and kiln drying the hardwood handles themselves!

They sell functional kitchen brooms, a cute Quiddich broom, handfasting and ceremonial brooms upwards from $35.00. And if you can't quite manage that in our current economy, they also sell hearth brooms, cobweb brooms, kids brooms, turkey wing brooms (named for the shape) and wisk brooms for as low as $14.00